Geez, what has happened to me over the last few months? I could tell you a story, believe me. But, then we wouldn't have time for the next chapter of my little mash-up here. I will say that we have a brand new (although really early) addition to the One Piece fandom in my house. Getting used to the newest member is consuming a lot of time and energy but I promise I haven't forgotten you guys either. What's that? Yep, I thought as much. On with the story then.
Chapter Ten
Wake Up and Celebrate
Birds were chattering in the trees, warming up their morning greeting. Their tittering little songs filled the air as the sun broke over the horizon and cast its first rays onto the dark world. Over the fields came the thudding of hooves as a gathering of horseback riders appeared along the forest edge. It was indeed Shanks, the Athenian duke, and his beautiful bride to be. A few strides behind were the usual court insiders, all out for an early morning hunt. The red haired royal was dressed more casually than usual and he took a deep relaxing breath of fresh morning air as he slowed his horse. Boa Hancock, the stunning Amazonian princess, pulled her steed alongside her betrothed. She too enjoyed being out of the city as much as Shanks, after all, it was in her blood to be out in the natural world.
Shanks turned on the back of his rowan colored horse and spoke to one of the tag-along riders. "One of you go and find the Hunt Master. Since we're done with the May Day festivities early we can enjoy an exciting hunt and my Princess here can marvel at the musical sound of my hounds as they give chase across the land." One of the servants nodded and turned back to do as ordered. The duke smiled in the warrior princess' direction and straightened himself with distinctive pride "They're the finest hunters, bred from the famous Spartan hounds."
Hancock tossed her head idly, long ebony stands flowing in the breeze. Her golden horse shifted its hooves closer as she pulled the reigns. "Yes, I was with the heroes Cadmus and Hercules once. Their Spartan dogs cornered a bear and I'd never heard such an impressive barking before. The dog's earthy-brown fur was brushed till it shone and their hanging ears touched the dewy ground. The mountains and even the very sky seemed to echo the bays of the hounds. It was such a raucous music to hear." The princess' dark eyes gleamed with the memory of her past adventure. Her horse came up next to the duke's own and she smiled in anticipation of witnessing the splendid hunting dogs again.
"Not a person in the land has ever gone hunting with a more skillful or musical pack of dogs. You will have a chance to judge for yourself, my love, once you lay ears on them. Their barks ring out like bells." Shanks boldly gloated as he continued to lead the hunting party at a slower pace so that he could speak more easily. "I'd wager- Wait, what do we have here?" Quite suddenly the horses came upon an unusual sight.
The riders all stopped behind their duke, peering around to see the strange spectacle they had come across. Indeed, the gathered hunters had stumbled onto four slumbering bodies that had been half hidden in the thin fringe of trees bordering the large forest.
"What the blazes?!" A harsh voice rang out from the gathered riders. A man with a dark moustache moved his horse closer and stared wide-eyed at what greeted him. "It's my daughter, Nami. Why is she sleeping out in the forest like this? That blued haired girl is Vivi, Cobra's only daughter. And also, Luffy and Sanji. What is going on, why are all of them out here?" Genzo stepped up next to Shanks and moved his mouth in wordless confusion. 'I don't understand. I ordered her to stop seeing that boy, and what of Vivi and Sanji?'
Shanks was as bewildered as the others but it didn't stop him from grinning when he saw the black haired young man snuggled into the side of Genzo's young daughter. And, it seemed that Sanji had found himself in the arms of the blue haired woman. "They probably woke up early to celebrate May Day and found their way here for the celebration. By the way, Genzo, isn't today the deadline for your daughter to tell us her decision to marry Sanji or not?"
The dark haired man frowned but didn't look at Shanks as he answered with a slow nod. "Yes, it is." He dreaded that answer as much as he dreaded the answer for this foolishness.
Chuckling in amusement the red haired duke motioned behind him to one of the huntsman. "You there, blow that horn of yours to wake these young people up." The man holding the bugle nodded and raised the instrument to his lips. A loud, long, call rang through the air. That seemed to do the trick as all four sleeping lovers jumped in alarm. Shanks leaned on the saddle of his horse, drawing the confused youngster's attention. "Good morning, my young friends. Valentine's Day is already long past. Are you lovebirds only starting to pair off now?"
Upon seeing Duke Shanks standing above them Luffy, Sanji, Nami, and Vivi clambered to their knees. All four bowed their heads and refused to look up at the intensely curious expressions of the hunting party. Nami could just see her father, huffing, in the corner of her eye. She felt dazed and somewhat lost. Most of last night was fuzzy but she did remember running away with Luffy.
Sanji risked glancing up into the eyes of the royal. He was disheveled and knew he wasn't presentable. Also, he didn't know exactly what was going on. "Forgive us, my lord, for appearing before you in such a state."
"You four may stand." Shanks told them and leaned back in the saddle, still with that same indulgent grin. The young people rose to their feet and his eyes shifted between the two young men who were seething in his study not very many hours ago. "I know you two are enemies. Has the world really become so gentle and peaceful that people who hate each other so deeply have started to trust each other? So much so that they can sleep beside the other without fear?"
Next to raise his head was Luffy. 'I don't remember the exact reason behind it but I really don't feel angry at Sanji anymore.' He looked between Sanji and Shanks with a bewildered look in his wide eyes. "Shanks, I'm not entirely sure what's happened here. I'm still kinda half asleep but I swear I have no idea how I got here. I think… I want to tell you the truth and as far as I can tell I believe this is the truth… I came out here with Nami last night. We were planning to leave Athens, to escape Athenian law and-"
Genzo, barely controlling his anger, had listened to enough. Seething, he urged his horse forward. "Enough! Enough of this! My lord, you've heard it for yourself. There is more than enough evidence. I insist that the law punish him. He was going to run away with my daughter! Sanji," the older man turned his accusing gaze to the blonde young noble who sought his daughter's hand. "Sanji, they were trying to cheat us, and rob you of your wife and me of my right to choose my own son-in-law."
With all attention focused solely on him Sanji faltered for a moment. "Shanks, sir," the young man spoke pleadingly. He was afraid of speaking too freely even though the duke was known for being rather lax in protocol. "My lord, let me explain, the beautiful Vivi told me about those two planning their secret escape last night. I was furious, naturally, and followed them here. The lovely Vivi was so in love with me that she followed along. I couldn't tell you how it happened, but somehow, something made my love for Nami melt away like snow. My past love for this woman now seems like a memory of some simple toy I used to love as a child. Now the only person I love, and want to look at, is Vivi. I was engaged to her before I ever met Nami and now I only want to be with this blue haired beauty. I love her, I long for her, and I will always be true to her." Sanji stopped, out of breath. He lowered his gaze respectfully but stood straight and didn't back down.
The red haired duke nodded agreeably at the rambled explanation. Unlike Luffy, who had little problem with speaking his mind to a person of higher class, Sanji rarely did so. It was a brave thing for the blonde to do in sight of so many nobles. "Well, I say that you four are mighty lucky to have met here. We'll talk more of this later, for now though," he turned to his old friend. "Genzo, I'm overriding your wishes. These two couples will be married along with me and Boa later at the temple. Since the morning is disappearing rapidly we'll give up on the hunt for today. Nami and Luffy, and you, Sanji and Vivi; come back to the city and we three couples will feast and celebrate."
With a final look over his shoulder Shanks turned his steed back the way they'd come. Still giving curious glances, the other riders followed, but Genzo hesitated. He stared hard at his wayward daughter and the man she'd chosen. With a frustrated sigh he, too, whirled his horse around.
Sanji, Vivi, Nami, and Luffy all looked between each other with clearly baffled expressions. Everything was happening so fast it was hard for the dazed group to get a handle on things. "Soo...What just happened? The things that happened last night seem so hard to remember. Like the far off mountains." The blonde turned his blue eyes to Vivi but she was just as confused. Luffy and Nami fared no better.
"Yeah, it's the same for me," Nami agreed. "It's all out of focus."
Vivi nodded vaguely, her gray eyes on the retreating backs of the hunting party. "Me too, I won Sanji so easily. Like a precious diamond I found lying on the ground that someone could just come along and claim it was theirs." She looked to the others but they seemed to feel the same.
Running a hand through his unruly black hair, made even messier with the night out in the forest, Luffy stared at Shanks' back as his friend rode away. He was surprised that Shanks would use his power to override Nami's father. The duke had the power to do so but it could cost his friendship with Genzo. Luffy looked to his right to see Nami with wide eyes. "Maybe we're all still sleeping. Are we sure everyone is awake? Do you remember Shanks being here, are we supposed to follow him?" He asked the group, Nami turned and blinked, clearing the daze from her expression.
The orange haired girl nodded, stunned, she couldn't believe what just happened. Her father's decision had been overruled and she was free to marry Luffy. "You're right," Nami murmured, "Shanks was here. So was my father."
Sanji lowered his eyes to Vivi and then Nami. "Yes, and we were told to go to the temple."
Luffy grinned excitedly. "Well, it seems we really are all awake. Let's get back into town and we can tell each other what we remember about last night." The young man started off down the line of the forest, dragging an amused Nami behind him.
"To tell the truth, I'm curious about that myself." Vivi added with a thoughtful frown. She followed the pair and Sanji was a step behind her.
XxXx
Not too far off, but in a clump of trees so thick he wasn't visible, Ussop opened his eyes. The young poet was blearily unaware of what was transpiring so near to him. "Tell me when my cue comes so I can say my line. My next cue is 'Most handsome Pyramus.'" In a daze the long-nosed young man sat up and looked lazily around the surrounding trees. "Hey, Brook? Chopper? Colby? Franky?" He called to his missing friends.
Silence met his calls, even the group of nobles and lovers had moved out of earshot.
"Hey! Anyone there? I can't believe they left me out here." The playwright stood up and dusted himself off. For some reason he was covered in grass and leaves, as if he'd been rolling around on the ground all night. He looked left and right. 'I feel like someone should be here with me. Maybe a beautiful woman or some magical being.' He shook his head and rubbed his long nose. "What a weird dream I just had. It can't even be described. You'd have to be an ass if you even tried explaining it. I thought I was… but, no. No one could even try to describe what I thought I had. They'd be an idiot. I'm sure no one has ever heard, or tasted, or seen, or felt what my dream was like."
Ussop suddenly plopped his fist in his palm as an idea struck. "I know! I'll get Brook to write up a ballad concerning this dream of mine. And I'll sing it for the Duke during the intermission of some play. Or maybe when the heroine dies." He continued to mumble and mutter as he stumbled through the trees. In the early morning sunshine he got his bearings and headed back toward the city.
The Athens market square was as busy as ever the morning of the duke's wedding. In the usual corner stood the usual group of slackers and wanna-be actors. A tall, boney, man weaved his way through the throng of people to reach his friends. When he arrived Brook looked around and sighed. "Has anyone visited Ussop's house yet? Has he made it home?"
Hatchi, seated on a barrel by the wall, shook his head. "Nyu, I was there earlier. It was empty. He's probably been kidnapped by robbers or something." The large man sighed in defeat. He surely knew something bad had happened to his friend out there in the woods. 'I shouldn't have left him but it was so scary.'
"If he doesn't show up then the play is ruined. We can't do it without him, can we?" Colby sounded panicked as he addressed the others.
"It would definitely be impossible." Brook agreed sadly with a shake of his head, he looked down at the younger man with regret in his eyes. "He's the only one in Athens who can play Pyramus."
Nodding slowly Chopper added his agreement to the rest. "I agree, Ussop is the smartest working man in Athens. And the best looking too." He was only repeating what the curly haired playwright had told him countless times but it sounded like he really believed it.
Quite suddenly there was a parting of the crowd as the huge form of Franky ran up to the loitering group of workers. He was panting and had clearly come with important news. "The Duke has left the temple. Two or three more lords and ladies have been married also. If we'd been able to put on our play, we would have really made it. Still no sign of Ussop?"
"No, there's nothing," Chopper answered with bowed head. The others all sighed despairingly.
On the far side of the marketplace, through the throng of crowd, a surprisingly familiar long-nosed man appeared. With a grand wave Ussop made his way toward his comrades, unaware of their worry. "Where are those guys? Where are my pals?" He called to them. Everyone whirled around at the sound of his voice.
Brook nearly dropped his cane at the sight. "Ussop! Oh, how wonderful to see you. What a relief." The older gentleman bowed his head with a smile.
Ussop laughed upon reaching the usual corner his fellow workers occupied. He clapped a hand to Franky's solid shoulder. "Hey guys, haha, do I have some amazing things to tell you. You won't believe it. But don't ask me to tell you. I swear by this long nose of mine that I won't tell you anything." He paused and grinned like a madman until he couldn't hold it in anymore. "Ok, fine, you've convinced me. I'll tell you everything as it happened."
"Yeah, please tell us, Ussop." Colby pleaded excitedly. He was really happy to see his good friend back from the woods.
With a loud laugh Ussop merely shook his head. "Nope, you won't get a word out of me now. All I will say is that the duke has had dinner already. Now it's time to get your costumes together." A twinkle lit in his eyes as the poet turned to the rest of his group and waved them closer. "Meet me at the palace as soon as possible. Look over your lines again. Our play's going to be performed for the duke, I can feel it! No one eat any onion or garlic on the way there. If we have sweet smelling breath, I'm sure they'll all say, 'this is such a sweet play.' Everyone get busy now."
Everyone nodded, their faith renewed, and scattered to their different homes. Hatchi and Franky left with a few uplifting pats on the back to welcome their friend home from his overnight stay in the woods. Colby and Chopper blended into the crowd and disappeared quickly, easily excited about their golden opportunity.
XxXx
Later on that very afternoon, after the ceremony at the temple, a crowd of Athenian nobles and other peoples of importance flowed into the palace grounds. The lavish landscape was richly decorated for the occasion. After all, it wasn't everyday Duke Shanks wed a beauty such as Boa Hancock. The palace banquet hall was slowly filling up; this was where the wedding reception was to be held, with fine foods, drink, and entertainment.
A ruckus stirred at the front of the hall and the crowd parted for the royal newly-weds. Dressed up in the very finest cloths Athens had to offer the duke and brand new duchess walked through the doors in grand style.
In between the cordial greetings of random courtiers Hancock turned to her husband. "You know, those four lovers are saying some very strange things, Shanks. It has me wondering." She said in a low voice, so that no one else would hear.
"Yeah, very strange indeed," the red haired duke agreed. "Honestly, it sounds completely made up to me. In my experiences those old legends and fairy tales are just that. Lunatics as well as storytellers are all ruled by their overactive imaginations. Some people think they see devils and monsters everywhere they go." Shanks paused to shake the hand of a visiting lord and speak to him before moving on down the line of well-wishers. "Lovers are just as crazy. Poets are always looking around and confusing the most normal, mundane things, with some fantastic other world. They describe things in their writing that simply don't exist."
Hancock smiled graciously in the direction of a group of young noble ladies but continued her quiet conversation. "But, the story that these lovers are telling, and the fact that they all saw and heard exactly the same things make me think there's more going on here than some made up fantasy. Their story is bizarre and astonishing, but it's solid and consistent." She turned in time to see Shanks shrug carefully. He still wasn't prepared to admit the possibility.
There was another round of happy noise at the entrance to the hall and four young people appeared through the throng. Nami and Vivi were dressed in traditional wedding dresses of the Athenian nobility. They laughed and smiled and accepted congratulations from people already in the hall; arm in arm with Luffy and Sanji. The young men walked at their new wives' sides in the finest of their traditional garb and with the biggest smiles in the room.
Shanks turned to watch the young, newly joined, couples. He smiled at their happiness, especially Luffy. After all, he was always close to the boy, and wanted him to have all he wanted. It looked like he was well on his way too. "Anyway, here comes those four lovers now." He motioned to Boa and the Duke and Duchess waited for the group to catch up with them. "I wish you happiness, my young friends, to last the rest of your days. I hope the future brings you both joy and fulfillment." Shanks greeted as they arrived at the front of the hall.
Luffy's smile widened upon greeting his friend after the ceremony and sharing the same status as a newly-wed. In a room full of people he didn't forget his manners though. Luffy bowed deeply. "Thank you, my lord. And even more happy times to you." Sanji bowed to the royals, while Vivi and Nami curtsied politely.
"Well now, what kind of entertainment do we have to fill the time between dinner and bedtime? Where is the entertainment director?" Shanks called into the crowd as everyone began to break up around the three couples. Almost at once the tall white haired man stepped out of the milling nobles and was at his duke's side in an instant. "What have you prepared for tonight? Come on, don't keep us waiting, Igaram. How can we have a celebration without entertainment?" He motioned joyfully around the group to indicate everyone else was waiting too.
The dignified director bowed in acknowledgement and pulled a long paper out of his coat pocket. "Here's a list of all the acts that have been prepared for tonight." He handed it over to Shanks and the red haired duke casually looked his choices over.
"Hmm, 'The battle between Hercules and the Centaurs', to be sung by an Athenian eunuch and accompanied by a harp. No, we won't see that one. I've already told that story to Boa earlier. Let's see, what else? 'The riot of the drunk, Bacchanals, who ripped the singer Orpheus to shreds.' That's an old show, I saw it the time I came back from my long voyage. Moving on. 'The nine muses mourning the death of learning and scholarship.' That's a sharp, critical, piece of satire and not quite suited for a wedding party. This last one here. 'A tedious, short, drama about young Pyramus and his love of Thisbe. A sad and tragic comedy.'"
Shanks paused, chuckled, and looked curiously at the stately man before him. Igaram looked decidedly nervous about the sure questions his duke would ask. "A sad comedy? Short and tedious? That's like hot ice. How can this, so called drama, be so many contradictory things?"
Shifting about for an acceptable answer Igaram cleared his throat in his own unusual way. "MaMaMa, well, Lord Shanks; it is a play about ten words long, which is the shortest play I've ever heard of. But, in my opinion, it's about ten words too long. That's why it's tedious. In the entire play, not one word is well-written, and not one of the actors is right for his part. It's tragic because Pryamus kills himself. I have to admit that when I saw his suicide during rehearsal, I had tears in my eye- but they were tears of laughter." The director accepted the entertainment list back from Shanks. After pocketing it he shook his head.
Shanks thought for a moment and turned back to Igaram. "Who are these actors, who attend this contradictory play?"
"They are simple workmen from Athens and surely they have not spent too much time thinking. Now they've worn out their weakened minds to put on this play for your wedding." Igaram explained hastily.
A grin appeared on the face of the laid-back duke. "Well, let's see it then."
"No, my lord. Ma, ma." Igaram protested while trying to clear his throat at the same time. "This play isn't right for you. I've seen the whole thing, and it's completely worthless, unless you think their bad acting and misremembered lines are funny."
For the first time that day a frown graced the features of Duke Shanks and he looked sharply at Igaram, his director of entertainment. "I said we will watch this play." In an instant he smiled again and slapped Igaram on the shoulder. "Nothing can really be bad when it's created by simple people who try hard. Come, bring them in." Motioning to Boa, Nami, and Vivi he stepped aside to allow them to sit. "Please, ladies, take your places." Following the cue of the Duke and Duchess the rest of the wedding party took its places at the front of the stage.
Reluctantly the dignified director nodded and backed away to retrieve Ussop's group of workmen-players. "As you wish it, Lord Shanks."
The Amazonian princess and new Athenian duchess watched Igaram disappear and turned to Shanks with a confused frown. "Are you sure you want to watch these poor people being overburdened and looking bad when they are trying to do something good for us?" Boa Hancock sounded very unsure about dragging the struggling group of poor players out to make fools of themselves.
Shanks merely shook his head with an understanding smile. "I don't think we'll see anything like that tonight."
"He just said that they're no good at acting, Shanks." Boa argued softly.
The red haired man leaned over to his new wife and stroked her arm gently to calm her and show he knew what he was doing. "Then we're even kinder people for thanking them for something that they're not good at. We'll entertain ourselves by accepting their mistakes." Shanks explained patiently to her and still kept his voice low, so that the others wouldn't be able to hear how the players coming up were doubted. "When poor, dutiful, people can't do certain things well, generous people can consider the effort they put into it rather than the effect that they produce. In my travels great scholars have come up to me, meaning to greet me with well-rehearsed speeches, and I've seen them stutter up and botch their lines in nervousness. Then they will break off at the end without even welcoming me. Trust me, I figured out that they were indeed trying to welcome me even in their silence. That message can be as clear from someone who is modest and nervously dutiful as it is from someone who is loudly audacious and eloquent. Therefore, love and tongue-tied simplicity can say the most even when they're saying the least."
At the end of his explanation Shanks straightened up again, in time to see Igaram come forward. He nodded to Boa reassuringly and waved the man onward.
"My lord, the person who is going to deliver the prologue is ready to go on." The white haired director informed the duke with a wince. He, of course, had seen how bad things were about to get. If things went as wrong as they had been in rehearsals the night would be ruined. As director, he would be blamed.
Shanks nodded happily and relaxed back in his chair. Waving his hand the cue was set to begin. "Good, let's get started. We're ready."
=0=0=
So the long awaited play has begun. Will it really be as bad as Igaram says? I don't know, we'll have to go to the next chapter to find out.
